In recent years, ultrasonic diagnostic/treatment devices used to treat diseased parts of bodies are being developed. There are several kinds of devices that use ultrasonic waves to treat diseased parts of organisms. A first kind of device uses ultrasonic waves to create an image of a diseased part and uses that image as a guide image for inserting a catheter or a needle into an organism. A second kind of device uses energy of ultrasonic waves emitted into the organism as energy to destroy the diseased tissue. A third kind of device irradiates ultrasonic waves to a medium administered inside the organism, the resulting change in the state of the medium causing destruction of the diseased tissue.
As an example of the third kind of conventional device, an ultrasonic diagnostic/treatment device is disclosed in JP-A-2000-189521 that is disposed with collecting means that irradiates the organism with a first ultrasonic wave signal for obtaining an echo image and collects received signals corresponding to the echo signals, image acquisition means that processes the echo signals to obtain image information, and irradiation means that sends to the organism a second ultrasonic signal for destroying microcapsules so that medicine included inside the microcapsules or microbubbles which have been administered to the organism is activated in a diseased part of the organism.
However, with respect to this conventional device, although there is description in regard to setting the emission direction of the second ultrasonic wave for destroying the microcapsules, no consideration is given in regard to controlling the second ultrasonic wave irradiation means in association with diagnostic information obtained by the first ultrasonic wave irradiation means.
The present invention was devised with the object of providing an ultrasonic diagnostic/treatment device that improves treatment efficiency.
The present invention was also devised with the object of providing an ultrasonic diagnostic/treatment device with which the destruction status of microcapsules can be visually confirmed, and the amount of medicine sealed in the microcapsules which is administered to the diseased part can be confirmed.
The present invention was also devised with the object of providing an ultrasonic diagnostic/treatment device with which the efficiency of treatment can be further improved by the administration of plural microcapsules.